In Washington, Atiku meets with US authorities.
Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, met with representatives of the US State Department on Friday after a panic sparked by security warnings of an impending terrorist assault on Nigeria’s capital Abuja.
According to those who were there, the meeting’s main topics of discussion were strengthening security and other areas of mutually beneficial collaboration between the U.S. and Nigeria.
Other topics mentioned besides security include democracy and the approaching general elections in 2023.
Atiku met with Molly Phee, the Assistant Secretary of the States Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, while being joined by important members of his campaign staff.
The meeting last night with officials of the States Department, according to a source in Atiku’s camp who is also currently in Washington, “could not have come at a better time with the terrorist threat alert by the U.S., UK, and Canada and the withdrawal of its non-essential staff by the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria.”
The Atiku campaign also stated in a press release on Saturday that “the focus of discussions was on the critical need to seek collaborative solutions to our local issues on democracy and governance, our deteriorating security, and the economy. The statement was signed by Atiku’s Media Adviser, Mr. Paul Ibe.
The summit “secured agreements to support free and fair elections in Nigeria, a declaration of a sanction policy before the polls to dissuade anti-democratic elements, and commitments for sustained engagement with Nigeria in areas of security and development,” according to the statement.
Other State Department representatives present at the meeting included: Skye Justice, Deputy Director, Office of West African Affairs; Brian Neubert, Acting Director, USAID; Scott Busby, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; Michael Heath, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs; and Toby Bradley, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Organizations.
Former Senate President and Special Envoy to the presidential candidate Dr. Bukola Saraki, Right Honorable Aminu Tambuwal, Former Governor of Imo State Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, and Governor of Sokoto State are all members of the PDP presidential candidate’s official delegation.
